Mythbusting, Tuesday, Period 2

[tyler_gone]

Class started too early in the morning, in a science classroom equipped with lab tables, Bunsen burners, and the faint smell of past explosions gone wrong. Safety goggles and gloves were at each workstation, as were supplies that might look familiar to anyone who'd taken a class with Professor Durden before.

Said professor leaned against his desk, watching and assessing the students as they came in.

"Hey," he greeted the class. "Welcome to Mythbusting. If you've taken a class with me before, welcome back; if you're new, welcome for the first time; and if you want to talk about Fight Club" -- a long pause, here, as he made himself say something besides don't -- "wait until after class."

"This semester is going to be about doing cool experiments, things that test cultural beliefs. I'll explain the science, don't worry, but most of it is going to be about actions, reactions, and getting things to happen. For that reason, we're going to go kind of fast, but if you need more explanation, let me know and I'll slow down. We'll only be using the danger shop to speed up reaction times, and we'll be playing with a lot of things that can get you hurt. I'm not your mom, I'm not going to chase you down and force you to wear goggles and gloves -- though I recommend it -- but don't be stupid. If I tell you to quit doing what you're doing, quit it. You put the rest of the class in danger, you get detention. That's my one big rule." He would come up with smaller ones if he had to. "The syllabus will be --- whatever I feel like doing."

"This week, and I know this is old hat for some of you and not really much of a myth, we're making soap to get used to proper lab procedures. Technically" -- he grinned -- "we are creating the alkali salt of a fatty acid." He went through a thumbnail lecture on the science of that. "If you've done it before, try to do it better, or add scents or herbs this time. If you haven't. be careful. Lye is nasty stuff, and one byproduct of soap? Glycerin. As in nitroglycerin."

"But first, introductions. Name, grade, why you're here, and who you would fight if you could fight anyone, living or dead, fictional people included." He jabbed his finger randomly toward a student. "You first. Oh, and Ino, Anemone, congratulations. You get TA duty this time around."

Comments

General Class Stuff + Introductions[7/7]

[tyler_gone]

Because it's what you do the first week.

Re: General Class Stuff + Introductions[7/7]

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

"I'm Claire Butler and I'm a junior," Claire said. "I signed up for this workshop because it sounded interesting and if I could fight anyone it would be..."

She paused. Her first instinct was to say Sylar, but she didn't want to have to answer any potentially awkward questions about who he was or why she wanted to fight him.

"I guess it would be Wendy the Werewolf Stalker."

Okay, lame answer, but at least it shouldn't raise any eyebrows.

Re: General Class Stuff + Introductions[7/7]

[tyler_gone]

"Hi Claire," Tyler said. "I've seen you in Fight Club. You and Wendy, not really a fair fight, no offense."

Re: General Class Stuff + Introductions[7/7]

[intraspective]

He liked sticking to a pattern didn't he? It amused Ino even as she pretended she was still annoyed with him.

(Okay, it wasn't all pretend, but she wasn't that annoyed either.)

"Ino," she said, with a bit of a wave. "Yamanaka if you feel the need to use my last name. I'll be a junior in the fall, and took this class just 'cause." What? That totally counted as a reason! "And, uh, I--don't know."

Re: General Class Stuff + Introductions[7/7]

[tyler_gone]

Tyler loved his pattern. It saved his mun writing three whole classes a year!

"Ino," he answered. "Hey. Memory's failing me. Do you usually say you don't know?"

Re: General Class Stuff + Introductions[7/7]

[death-of-hope.livejournal.com]

"Anemone, and I'm a senior," she practically caroled, bouncing in place. "I got signed up for this because my guardian knows that the best way to bribe my good behaviour is to keep me distracted with shiny things that might blow up."

Like pie or flying. Anemone was easily predictable.

"And there's really no one I really want to fight, I guess." Someone was doing much better with her Issues, shockingly. "But if anyone's in the mood for a spar, I wouldn't argue. Um, but not in class, because fighting around chemicals is bad."

Re: General Class Stuff + Introductions[7/7]

[tyler_gone]

She was TA largely because Tyler figured keeping her busy was the best way to avoid exploded pies full of glitter, so he was in sympathy with her guardian.

"Good to have you again, Anemone," he said. "And yes. Physical violence has to stay outside class."

... just a little preachy, there.

Re: General Class Stuff + Introductions[7/7]

[thatsamilkshake]

Francine perched on a stool, wrapping her feet around the rungs. "I'm Francine Peters. I'm a senior, and I guess I signed up for this class because Katchoo's in it and I don't want her to blow herself up without supervision I like that show about the same thing? So it seemed like it might be fun."

You know that game where when your feet are propped up on something and you're nervous, you slip your shoes on and off trying not to drop them? Maybe it's a girl thing. "I don't like fighting." True. "I don't want to fight anybody." Lie. She had a name, a face, and an address, and she wouldn't say any of them out loud in a room with Katchoo if you stole her shoes and held a bunsen burner under her toes.

Re: General Class Stuff + Introductions[7/7]

[tyler_gone]

"Hi, Francine," Tyler said. "I hope class will be fun."

He noticed the shoe game and tilted his head slightly, watching it. "And that's fine. But don't lose your shoes in the lab."

Burns on feet, not fun.

Re: General Class Stuff + Introductions[7/7]

[thismaskiwear.livejournal.com]

What, you thought Francine could do the shoe thing in class and Katchoo wouldn't notice? (Say "What, you thought water wasn't wet?" and the answer would be the same.) Furthermore, you thought Katchoo wouldn't notice that in conjunction with Francine's claims that she wouldn't fight anyone?

Katchoo didn't call her on it, but she did send a quizzical look Francine's way.

At some point when Francine wasn't looking.

Re: General Class Stuff + Introductions[7/7]

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

"My name is Helen Haras-Uquara and I'm a junior. I chose this class because I thought it could be useful to know some practical skills along this line. And," her eyes darkened, "I should be more than willing to fight Them again, should those demons ever return."

Re: General Class Stuff + Introductions[7/7]

[tyler_gone]

"Hey, Helen," Tyler said, with a tiny half-wave. "Good to have you here. Who's Them?"

Re: General Class Stuff + Introductions[7/7]

[rocksthescarf.livejournal.com]

"I'm Chuck Bass and I'm a senior. I'm in this class because--" Sam was in here to do most of his work for him. "--I've seen that show a lot on TV and thought it was interesting."

Liar.

"And I'm more of a lover than a fighter."

Liiiiiiiiar.

Re: General Class Stuff + Introductions[7/7]

[thismaskiwear.livejournal.com]

"Katina Choovanski, senior, it sounded like fun," she said shortly. The long answer was that she liked the show, and she liked the idea of spending a workshop trying to prove why certain things were a load of crap, and if she got to blow things up in the process it'd be a bonus, but that would involve more talking about herself than she wanted to do. With a stubborn set to her jaw, she added, "I answered the last question for you last year."

Translation: I'm not admitting to that in a room with Chuck Bass.

Re: General Class Stuff + Introductions[7/7]

[wannabehunter]

"I'm Jo and I'm a senior," Jo said. "I signed up because it looked interesting." And there was a good chance of stuff getting blown up.

"I'm not sure who I'd fight," Jo said. "There are a lot of options."

Re: General Class Stuff + Introductions[7/7]

[abetterthief.livejournal.com]

"Parker," Parker said. "I'm a sophomore. I signed up for the class because it said there was going to be explosives." The amount of eagerness in her voice at that would have most sane people backing away slowly. "I don't fight. I steal."

Re: General Class Stuff + Introductions[7/7]

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

"Hiiiii!" Turtle was excited to be taking Tyler's class, and it showed easily in her cheerful greeting. "I'm T.R. Wexler, better known as Turtle, and I'll be a senior in the fall, finally! I'm taking this class because it sounded really awesome and I know Mr. Durden's pretty cool." Even if it was still weird, though not as much. "And lately, I've had a fascination with kicking Hitler in the shins; if anyone deserves it, it's him, but in a toss up, I'd settle for facing off against Doug Hoo now that I've been training. That's a guy I know from back home, by the way; he's a total jerkface."

Re: General Class Stuff + Introductions[7/7]

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

"I'm Robin, a rising junior, I'm here because I'm interested in myths...and I don't think I'd fight anyone. I don't like violence."

Re: General Class Stuff + Introductions[7/7]

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

"I'm Rose Hathaway," Rose said. "I'm a senior. My classes get chosen for me, and I have no idea what they're thinking when they choose 'em." She thought for a moment, trying to come up with someone more interesting, but her first thought kept coming back. "I'd fight my mother."

Re: General Class Stuff + Introductions[7/7]

[likethegun]

"I'm Sam, and I'm going to be a senior in the fall," he said. That was still kind of scary to think about. "I signed up for this workshop because it sounded interesting, and I didn't want all my classes to be about reading and more normal scholastic things. Oh, and I'd probably fight my dad. In a 'How evenly matched would we be?' kind of way."

Re: General Class Stuff + Introductions[7/7]

[weetinyreese.livejournal.com]

"Reese. Kyle Reese. I think I'm a Junior. I'm here for the explosives experience." After a moment, he added, "if I had to fight anyone, I'd pick you." He was referring to Professor Durden. Plus, he'd fought Terminators and they were no fun, and Skynet itself didn't have fists. "I could probably learn a few things."

Re: General Class Stuff + Introductions[7/7]

[eyebrowgoesup]

"My name is Spock. I will be beginning my second year of secondary instruction in the coming term, which I believe makes me a 'sophomore.' I chose this workshop because the description indicated it would be scientific in scope. And I would prefer not to fight someone unless absolutely necessary." Or, you know, they insulted his mother.

Re: General Class Stuff + Introductions[7/7]

[finding-x-dream.livejournal.com]

"I'm Agnes Nitt, and I'm a senior," Agnes announced sweetly. "I'm here because busting myths sounds very practical and fun, and because I think chemistry's interesting."

She bit her lip thoughtfully. "I'd rather not fight anyone unless I absolutely have to," she admitted, turning a little pink. "I'm not much of a fighter."

Re: General Class Stuff + Introductions[7/7]

[stylin-wizard.livejournal.com]

"I'm Alex Russo and I'll be a junior in the fall," she smiled, somewhat in awe of how quickly time had passed. "I signed up for this class because I'd like to see what myths might end up being true." Yeah, she was a fan of the show on television.

Just don't tell Justin that. "And I guess if I had to fight somebody, it'd be Gigi back home." If only Harper were in this class. She'd understand.

Re: General Class Stuff + Introductions[7/7]

[inthereflexes.livejournal.com]

"Jack Burton, be a senior this fall, and I thought this would be interesting," he said. "And... I'd fight...anyone, I guess."